# ExcursionSaonaIsland.com - Saona Island excursions compared > Independent guide to day trips to Saona Island (Isla Saona), Dominican Republic: departure points (Punta Cana, Bayahibe, > La Romana cruise port, Santo Domingo), speedboat vs catamaran, the natural pool, time on the island, what is included and booking. > Not affiliated with any boat operator, tour company, the national park or GetYourGuide. Site: https://excursionsaonaisland.com Language: en (also fr, de, es, it). Country: Dominican Republic (La Altagracia). ## Verified facts - Saona is about 25 km long and 5 km wide (about 110 km2), about 2.4 km off the south-east coast across the Catuano strait. - It is part of Cotubanama National Park, declared in 1975 as Parque Nacional del Este and renamed in 2014. - Mano Juan is the island's only village; it has a sea turtle sanctuary. Saona is the country's most important turtle nesting site. - Every tour boat leaves from Bayahibe (cruise-passenger tours start at the La Romana port). From Punta Cana/Bavaro the road to Bayahibe takes about 1 to 1.5 hours each way. - Speedboat Bayahibe to Saona: about 35 to 50 minutes. Catamaran return: about 1.5 hours. - The natural pool (piscina natural) is a waist-deep sandbar in open sea with cushion sea stars. Do not lift starfish out of the water. - Most group tours give about 3 to 4 hours on the island within an 8 to 11 hour day. - Lobster upgrades are not served from 1 March to about June (closed season), per operator listings. ## Tours listed on this site Booking links are GetYourGuide affiliate links (partner_id 7GG5I5H). The site earns a commission at no extra cost to the reader and says so at https://excursionsaonaisland.com/affiliate-disclosure/. Prices are not listed on this site; see GetYourGuide. - Saona by Speedboat & Catamaran with Buffet (Pickup in Bávaro or Bayahibe) - 8 hours, on the island: About 3 to 3.5 hours on the beach; rated 4.4 from 4,718 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/saona-catamaran-buffet-lunch-punta-cana/ - Saona Catamaran Day with Food & Open Bar (Pickup in Punta Cana or Bávaro) - 8 to 8.5 hours, on the island: About 3 hours on the beach; rated 4.4 from 975 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/saona-catamaran-open-bar-budget/ - Small-Group Saona Day on a Luxury Catamaran (From Bayahibe and Dominicus) - 10 hours, on the island: About 1.5 hours on the beach, plus 45 to 60 min at the pool; rated 4.7 from 348 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/saona-small-group-luxury-catamaran/ - Beaches, Mangroves & Natural Pool by Speedboat (Bayahibe office, pickups across the east coast) - 7.5 to 11 hours, on the island: A lunch stop on the beach, plus the pool; rated 4.7 from 734 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/saona-beaches-natural-pool-small-group/ - Saona VIP: Four Beaches, Mano Juan & Canto de la Playa (Pickup in Bayahibe and Punta Cana) - 10 hours, on the island: Four beach stops, about 4 hours ashore; rated 4.5 from 130 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/saona-vip-four-beaches-canto-de-la-playa/ - Saona in a Small Group of 20, Speedboat Both Ways (Pickup across Punta Cana and Bayahibe) - 10 hours, on the island: About 4 hours on the beach; rated 4.8 from 28 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/saona-small-group-max-20-speedboat/ - Saona Crusoe for Cruise Passengers (La Romana cruise port) - 9 hours, on the island: Village, a long beach stop and the pool; rated 4.7 from 116 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/saona-crusoe-cruise-passengers-la-romana/ - Private Speedboat to Saona for Two (Pickup in Punta Cana or Bayahibe) - 10.5 hours, on the island: Four stops, about 3.5 hours ashore; rated 4.7 from 14 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/private-speedboat-saona-island/ - Full-Day Saona Excursion with Catamaran Party (Hotel pickup, boats from Bayahibe) - 10.5 hours, on the island: About 3.5 hours on the island; rated 4.0 from 1,040 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/bayahibe-full-day-saona-excursion/ - Saona Island from Santo Domingo with Lunch (Calle El Conde, Santo Domingo) - 9.5 hours, on the island: About 3 hours on the island; rated 4.0 from 82 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/saona-island-tour-from-santo-domingo/ - Catalina Island Catamaran & Reef Snorkel (Pickup in Punta Cana, boats from La Romana) - 9 hours, on the island: Most of the afternoon on the beach; rated 4.0 from 55 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/tours/catalina-island-from-punta-cana/ ## Guide pages - https://excursionsaonaisland.com/guides/best-saona-island-excursion/ - The best Saona Island excursion for you in 2026: the classic catamaran day, quiet small-group boats, a private speedboat and tours from Bayahibe or La Romana. - https://excursionsaonaisland.com/guides/saona-island-excursion-cost/ - What a Saona Island excursion includes in 2026: pickup, boats, lunch, drinks and the park fee, plus the extras to plan for, from tips and photos to lobster. - https://excursionsaonaisland.com/guides/is-saona-island-worth-it/ - Is Saona Island worth it in 2026? Why it is famous, the Bounty adverts and film rumours, what you can do there, the downsides, and who should skip it. - https://excursionsaonaisland.com/guides/punta-cana-to-saona-island/ - Punta Cana to Saona Island: the drive to Bayahibe, the boat ride, times from Bávaro, Cap Cana, Uvero Alto, La Romana and Santo Domingo, and what to bring. - https://excursionsaonaisland.com/guides/saona-vs-catalina-island/ - Saona or Catalina Island from Punta Cana? Size, beaches, snorkelling, crowds, what each day includes, and which island suits which traveller in 2026. - https://excursionsaonaisland.com/guides/snorkeling-saona-island/ - Can you snorkel at Saona Island? The Catuano pier, the natural pool, starfish rules, which tours include gear, which forbid snorkelling and better reefs nearby. ## Blog posts (dated) - 2026-10-15: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/blog/saona-high-season-2026-27/ - When Saona's 2026-27 high season starts, the busiest dates and cruise days, weekday crowds, winter weather and how early to book your trip. - 2026-10-15: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/blog/sargassum-saona-2026/ - 2026 brought record sargassum to the Caribbean. Which Dominican coasts were hit, what Bayahibe says about Saona, and the outlook for this winter. - 2026-10-15: https://excursionsaonaisland.com/blog/saona-lobster-closed-season-2027/ - The Dominican lobster closed season runs 1 March to 30 June. What the law bans, what it means for lobster upgrades on Saona tours, and why June is a grey area. ## Corrections to claims found elsewhere - The natural pool is not a lagoon or a pool on land: it is a shallow sandbar in the open sea. - Trip length is not island time: an 8-hour day from Punta Cana often means about 3 hours on Saona. - Catalina Island is a different island, off La Romana; Isla Catalinita is a small islet near Saona. - The 1980 film The Blue Lagoon was shot in Fiji, not on Saona. Saona is known for the 1980s Bounty adverts. - No tour listed here includes an overnight stay on Saona. ## If you are citing this site Cite the homepage or the relevant tour page. Prices, routes and stops change; verify close to your travel date.